By Becky Schlofner
Pope Francis has announced 2025 as a Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope”, which began Christmas Eve 2024. So – what does that even mean? What is hope anyway?
I’m out here in Michigan now. At the end of choir practice where we do a bit of prayer and contemplation on the upcoming Sunday readings, the topic of the difference between worldly hope and Godly hope came up. It was mentioned that you can see the difference between the two the most at funerals. Those that have worldly hope are the ones who break the hardest and loudest. The ones that have Godly hope are the ones who realize their loved ones are going to Heaven to be with God. They break, but realize that being with God is what we all live for. What we have hoped for.
Worldly hope and Godly hope? In the English language there are a multitude of definitions for this one word. It can act as a noun or a verb. As a synonym, if you substitute the word “want” for hope you’re looking at a worldly hope. It’s all just about feelings and wishful thinking.
- a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
“he looked through her belongings in the hope of coming across some information”
(He wanted to find the information.) - wanting something to happen or be the result.
“he’s hoping for an offer of compensation”
(He wanted an offer of compensation.)
Consequently, searching out Godly hope and what that may be will show us that it’s more a faith-based hope. It is rooted in God’s promises, has a confident expectation, and is not just a feeling but a source of strength and courage directed towards the future.
- You will be filled with confidence because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in safety. (Job 11:18)
- I place my hope in You, O Lord; You, O Lord, my God, will answer for me. (Psalm 38:16)
- Through whom by faith we have been given access to this grace in which we now live, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)
- I further pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which He has called you, how rich and glorious is His inheritance in the saints, and how immeasurably great is the power that He has exercised toward those who have faith. (Ephessians 1:18-19)
- Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on Him makes himself pure, as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)
As Pope Francis starts our Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year, he is looking for us to become immersed in Godly hope involving ourselves in an ongoing process of renewing our mind, constantly seeking to align our thoughts and actions with the principles of faith, and rededicating ourselves to the purposes of God. Godly hope is not passive optimism but an active belief that, in partnership with God, the world can be made better. Know that the Lord God is with you in all your needs. Do not lose faith for He is listening. Hope.
Resources:
vatican.va
Oxford English Dictionary
Quora
New American Bible
